Ryoanji Temple in Kyoto – Highlights & Personal photos.

2024-01-202024-08-31

Ryoan-ji Temple is well known worldwide for its “Rock Garden”, which has 15 stones arranged in white sand. It has a quiet and solemn atmosphere, and is a perfect tourist attraction for those who want to refresh their mind and body by relaxing and looking at the rock garden. In recent years, this rock garden has become widely known overseas as it has been highly praised by Queen Elizabeth and Apple founder Steve Jobs.

This article will share the highlights of Ryoanji Temple, along with some personal photographs.

Geting to Ryoanji Temple from Kyoto Station

The most convenient way to reach Ryoanji Temple from Kyoto Station is by bus, as train need to transfer.

STEP

Board bus number 50 from B2 bus stop at Kyoto Station Bus Terminal.

The bus terminal is located right next to the central exit of Kyoto Station on the north side. Follow the “Bus” signs located throughout Kyoto Station to the bus terminal. The photo above is the bus terminal.

Look for the pillar marked B2 and the bus number is 50. Please be careful to board the correct bus.

STEP

Disembark at Ritsumeikan Daigaku-mae bus stop.

It takes approximately 40-45 minutes to get here from Kyoto Station. This bus stop is the last stop.

STEP

From the bus stop, then walk about 600m, which takes about 8 minutes.

It takes approximately 7 minutes to reach Ryoanji Temple. The photo above is the entrance to Ryoanji Temple.

The building right next to the gate is the ticket office.

Highlights of Ryoanji Temple

The rock garden has 15 stones. However, interestingly, no matter which angle you look at the rock garden, you can only count 14 stones. This is not a coincidence, but was intentionally arranged this way to express an “imperfect garden.”

In the East, the number 15 represents “perfection”, so subtracting 1 from 15 indicates that it is “imperfect”. Japan has a philosophy that “things begin to fall apart the moment they are completed.”
As with Nikko Toshogu Shrine, buildings are sometimes intentionally left incomplete.
The rock garden at Ryoanji Temple is said to be probably constructed in a similar thought.

This rock garden is in a style called “Karesansui”, and uses only sand and stones to create a waterscape without using any water. Fifteen stones of various sizes are used to resemble an island, and lines are drawn on the white sand to represent the flow of water. Originally, water meant purity in Buddhism, and Japanese gardens have traditionally used water. On the other hand, white sand means purity in Zen. Therefore, as Zen spread, gardens used white sand became common.

On the opposite side of the building from the rock garden, visitors will find a famous stone called “Tsukubai”. It was used as a place to wash your hands before entering the tea room.

The kanji written on the surface of the Tsukubai is a Zen proverb that means, “If you are aware of what you have rather than what you don’t have and know how to be satisfied, you will be rich in spirit.” Zen is about finding yourself, – not worshipping others, but believing in yourself, knowing “who you really are,” living in your own way. These are the goals of Zen.

The pond called Kyōyo Pond also has a nice view. The pond occupies the southern half of the temple grounds, where aristocrats floated their boats there and enjoyed singing and dancing 800-1100 years ago during the Heian period (A.D.794-1185).